


baby it's cold outside (too bad I broke your window)

by gaypanic



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 12 Days of Swan Queen Christmas, 20!somethings swan queen, 20something!regina is soft okay, AU, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Sharing a Bed, Tumblr Prompt, fight me, killian makes an appearance or two, oneshot turned threeshot, some of you might say regina is OOC but i don’t, victor whale is the landlord lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-10 06:10:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12905790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaypanic/pseuds/gaypanic
Summary: Christmasified tumblr prompt written for 12 Days of Swan Queen Christmas.This story will be told in three parts!(Prompt: “I know it was my fault, but the landlord is going to make me pay for it and I can’t afford it right now, so can you live with a broken window for a few weeks? No? Okay just come live with me instead” AU)





	1. Christmas Eve Eve

**Author's Note:**

> Part One Summary:  
>  _Emma thinks her day is going to be terrible when she breaks her downstairs neighbor’s window, until its resident isn’t who she was expecting_
> 
> Notes: if you’ve seen Orphan Black, I’m imagining Emma’s apartment as kind of like Felix’s (except smaller)!

As soon as Emma heard the crash, she knew her day was destined to remain terrible. Who knew a snowball would be strong enough to break through someone’s window? Certainly not her.

 

Then again… she  _ did _ pack the snow extra tight. This wasn’t just some playful kiddie snowball fight. This was war. That fucking jerk Killian from the apartments across the street was hitting on her  _ again _ , and she’d had more than enough.

 

She’d tried to just say it. “No.” “Sorry, I’m not interested.” “Give up now, I’m gay.” “I don’t want to date you, ever.” But he wiggled his way around her words every time, and he always came back again, whether it be a minute later or a week later.

 

It was tolerable at its best, but at its worst… well. At its worst, it was a snowball through the window of her downstairs neighbor.

 

Killian crouched between her and the window where he had ducked from the hit, and his face was a mix of shock and amusement as he watched Emma take in the harsh reality that nothing ever went her way.

 

“Ooh, you’ve done it now, Swan,” he laughed.

 

“Fuck off, Killian,” Emma said as she pushed past him and into the apartment building, not stopping until she was knocking on her neighbor’s door. 

 

She waited a moment, but there was no answer. “Hello?” she called through the door before knocking one last time. Apparently, no one was home. Emma slumped against the wall with a groan. She didn’t even know who lived there, and she couldn’t decide if it was better or worse to not know.  

 

She imagined person after person, from a lonely guy who spends his days playing multiplayer online RPG’s, to a business woman who was always so busy at work she didn’t have time for anything else, to an elderly grandma who was actually inside calling the cops instead of answering the door.

 

With that fear in mind, she pushed off from the wall and trudged to the landlord.

 

Their landlord was this guy named Victor who was kind of nice, but kind of sleazy, and Emma couldn’t figure him out. Some days he would answer his door in sweatpants with a bottle of vodka in his hand, but other days he’d be wearing a button up like he was about to do something more important than managing his crappy property.

 

Today she gets a version somewhere in the middle. Sweatpants with no signs of alcohol. His shoes are on and that’s certainly a bonus. He gives a deep sigh when he sees her, “What is it this time, Emma?”

 

Emma had a history with this guy. Well, with the apartment he rented to her anyway. She was on the top floor, and her studio apartment was a disaster. She loved it, but her love wasn’t enough to fix the leaks and holes or keep the heat running all winter. According to Victor, her apartment was the most problematic.

 

“It’s not my apartment this time, I swear.” Victor gave her a skeptical look. “I’m serious, dude! This is bad, actually bad. Worse than that time the window got stuck open during the snowstorm bad.”

 

At that, the man’s eyebrows shoot up. “Wow, this really is serious then. But if it’s not your apartment…” he trailed off before narrowing his eyes at her. “Wait. Emma, what did you do?”

 

“Okay so, you know that guy Killian? He lives across the street?” Emma didn’t wait for the man to nod before babbling on. “Yeah, well, he’s the guy who’s always hitting on me. He wouldn’t stop. Not even when I said no fifty thousand times and not when I told him I was gay and he had literally a negative eighty percent chance, and today he just pushed too far, so I, uh.. I might have thrown a snowball at him and it might have gone into someone’s window instead of his face.”

 

“Didn’t you play softball?” Emma scoffed. “I’m not being stereotypical here!” Victor says, putting his hands up. “I’m just saying, if you’re such a good shot, why’d you miss him?”

 

Emma scoffed again, louder. “I didn’t  _ miss _ him, he  _ ducked _ . I’m sure my snowball would have knocked his teeth in, but instead in shattered someone’s window and I don’t think anyone’s home, and I need you to fix it before they get back.”

 

Victor squinted. “Which apartment was it?”

 

“108…” With a long sigh, Victor pinched the bridge of his nose.  _ Oh god, who lives there? _ Emma thought with mild panic. “What?”

 

“I can’t help you,” he admitted with a shake of his head, shrugging just slightly with his hand before dropping it to his side.

 

“What!? Why not? You’re the  _ landlord _ . This is… this is…” Emma struggled for a moment selecting a word that she truly felt represented her current situation, “Fucking ridiculous!”

 

“Emma…”

 

“Why does this shit always happen to me?” Emma deflates. “So, why can’t you fix it? What do I do?”

 

“First of all, if the glass is shattered, that’s beyond just another one of my simple repairs. I’d need to have the window replaced, which means a few extra hands and a whole new window.”

 

“Okay? So you’ve done stuff like that for me before. So what’s the problem?”

 

“She’s denied any of my help.”

 

Emma groaned. She knew this wouldn’t be good. She started imagining the kind of person who could live there all over again with this new tidbit of information. She’s either wealthy and uptight, denying the help she’s offered for something better, or she’s another lesbian stereotype, into mechanics and fix-ups and would rather just do it herself. “Why?”

 

“I came home from the bar one night and accidentally went into her apartment instead of mine.”

 

The blonde gaped at him, “Are you serious? Jesus… you’re lucky she didn’t file a restraining order or mace you… So what? She doesn’t trust you? So why does she still live here? Why hasn’t she moved?”

 

“She did. She used to live in the apartment next to me. Did you really think I’d actually  _ accidentally _ walk into 108 instead of  _ this  _ apartment?”

 

“Oh.” Emma blinked. Victor lived all the way down the hall in the back corner. The apartments around his were even smaller than hers, and they may have  _ looked _ nicer, but Victor’s told her all kinds of horror stories that made her feel significantly better about her problematic unit. At least up there she never had a bug problem. But if the woman moved to 108… “You offered her discounted rent? For a nicer apartment? And she won’t take your help cause she thinks you’re a sketchy drunk?”

 

“I mean, she’s not wrong.”

 

Emma snorted, “You’ve got a point there. But you’re obviously harmless.” Victor crossed his arms at her as if he were trying to intimidate her, but Emma was unfazed. “So what do I do?”

 

“You’re gonna have to call a glass replacement company and have them replace it. Most places around here charge up front, so…”

 

“How much?”

 

“A hundred bucks or so.”

 

With a harsh breath in, Emma’s panic returned, “I don’t have that. Besides, it’s almost Christmas. Aren’t most of these places closed? Shit, what time is it?”

 

“About that time,” Victor said pointing at the clock behind him.  _ Five o’clock _ . 

 

“Shit! And it’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, so today would have been my last chance.” Emma groaned into her hands. “Don’t you have like… I don’t know, a  _ guy _ for stuff like this?”

 

“A  _ guy _ ?”

 

“Yeah, you know? A  _ guy _ that is always there to help you fix windows. A  _ guy _ that knows where to get the best liquor for the lowest price?”

 

“Oh yeah! I have a guy for that!”

 

“You do?” Emma straightened up, her excitement building. 

 

“Yeah, his name’s Jim. Gets me a good discount at the liquor store.” Emma slumped. This was hopeless. “Where does she work? You think she’ll be home soon? Or is she gone for the holidays?”

 

He shrugged, “I see her coming back sometimes in the evening, and she was around last night. Your guess is as good as mine, but if I were you, I’d talk to her before she gets into the apartment and sees the window.”

 

Emma sighed, “Okay, but telling her about it is one thing, but fixing it is another. Got any ideas?”

 

“It’s her window, Emma. She’ll be making the decisions on how it gets fixed, and you’ll be paying for it and basically just doing what she says. You’ll have to discuss it with her.” Victor gave her a sad smile. “Sorry I can’t be of more help.”

 

“Just for that, you’re not getting any Christmas cookies,” Emma huffed as she turned to walk down the hall.

 

“I wasn’t getting any anyway!” He called after her. “Your oven’s still broken!” She gave him the finger without turning around, marching her way back to 108.

 

She knocked once more when she got there, though she doubted the woman was home yet, and when no one answered, Emma planted herself on the floor next to the door to wait for her return.

 

She couldn’t help but continue to wonder what kind of woman the mystery resident was. She mulled it over for a long time, deciding that she was more than likely unmarried (given that no one else was around), and if she was working now and didn’t seem to have a family she was eager to spend time with for the holidays, she must be career driven.

 

Emma was lost in thought imagining having to face Meryl Streep from  _ The Devil Wears Prada _ when someone cleared their throat, making Emma jump. “Can I help you?” a voice said hesitantly.

 

The blonde looked up at the woman now standing in front of her, no doubt the one renting the apartment, and she was genuinely surprised to see that she wasn’t at all what Emma expected. Where she had expected to see fancy heels, she saw non-slip sneakers; where she expected to see a pencil skirt, she saw jeans; and where she had expected some kind of business blazer, she saw a knit sweater under a thick coat.

 

“Uh…” Emma stood quickly to face the woman, even more surprised when she realized that she was close to Emma’s own age. She couldn’t be more than twenty-five. Her nose was pink from the cold, and as she looked curiously at Emma in her cute little winter hat with those deep brown eyes, the blonde completely blanked. “I’m Emma,” she said, extending a hand to take one of the brunette’s gloved ones.

 

“Okayyy…” she responded, not taking Emma’s hand as she grew more confused. “Why are you outside my apartment?”

 

“Oh! Right!” Emma exclaimed, pulling her hand back. “Sorry, uh. There was an accident.”

 

Emma cringed at how ominous her words sounded but the brunette didn’t seem to mind or notice. “What kind of accident?” she slowly asked.

 

“Okay, so, you see, there’s this guy across the street. Total creep. Anyway, he always hits on me, and he doesn’t know what  _ no  _ or  _ gay _ or  _ I don’t like you _ means, and today I’d just had it cause you know, I don’t have to deal with that shit, so I told him as much, but he did the same thing he always does and flirted like I was kidding. It made me mad. So anyway, I picked up a bunch of snow and packed it really tight so it might do some damage and scare him off. I used to play softball, not like stereotypically, but… well I guess it kind of was, but that’s not the point…” Emma paused for a brief moment, realizing how much she was rambling, but the girl across from her was looking at her with such adorable confusion that she almost didn’t care. 

 

“So, I, uh… I threw it at him, and he ducked and-- Your window is broken,” Emma said, interrupting herself to get to the point. “It’s my fault, and I’m going to pay for it, but Victor said… you know, and all the places are closed already, which wouldn’t matter anyway because I don’t exactly have the money right now, but yeah. I was waiting for you to come back so you wouldn’t think some asshole broke your window and ran off. I want to fix it,” Emma finished with a nod. That wasn’t  _ too _ bad.

 

The brunette looked at her, expression unchanged and asked, “You said you were gay?”

 

_ Did she just-- _ “What?” 

 

“Um, you said you were going to pay? For the window?” Emma blinked,  _ oh, yeah, I must have just misheard her _ .

 

“Yes. I’m gonna pay for it, but uh, I don’t have the funds for it right now. And the window places are closed. So…” she trailed off, hoping to be relieved from her rambling misery, but she had no such luck. “I looked it up, and all the window places are closed until after Christmas. And I don’t get paid til the end of the month.”

 

“What do I do?”

 

“I don’t know. We could cover it up with something, but it’s kind of cold. And there’s wind.” The other girl let out a deep sigh, looking more crestfallen than annoyed, and Emma was prepared for a lot of things, but a cute girl pouting about the damage Emma did to her window was not one of them. 

 

All she wanted to do was make this better, put a smile on this stranger’s face. It wasn’t too late to turn this around, and as Emma brainstormed, her gay got in the way as she considered a feasible yet  _ totally insane  _ option that she wouldn’t have thought at all if she knew she would blurt it out loud. “You could stay with me?” And when nothing happened except that the girl’s expression became harder to read, Emma mumbled, “I mean, it’s just an idea. I figure it’s better than living with a broken window…”

 

“Okay.”

 

“What?” Emma asked, sure she misheard again.

 

“I’ll stay with you.”

 

“You will?” At her asking again, the brunette looked more unsure, and Emma was sure she was about to screw it up unless she got it together. “You will! Great! Uh… did you want to tape the window or something first?”

 

“I probably should, shouldn’t I?” Her eyes shifted awkwardly around. “And I probably need some of my things.” Glancing back at Emma, she paused before asking “Can you help me with the window? While I pack?”

 

“What? Oh, yeah, of course!” Emma mentally smacked herself for reacting to everything the other girl said in some state of gay panic. She just couldn’t believe a stranger was about to stay with her. A  _ hot _ stranger. “What’s your name, by the way?”

 

“Regina,” she answered before turning to unlock the door.

 

“ _ Regina _ . Nice. I’m Emma. Swan.”

 

“You already said that. Miss Swan,” Regina said, her lips twitching up slightly as she side-eyed the blonde who gulped.  _ Jesus _ .

 

It was weird being inside someone else’s apartment, but it was also very refreshing. Regina’s style was simple and sleek. Everything looked bare, but not  _ empty _ , and despite the lack of personal items, it still had personality. Still felt like a home.

 

She taped over the hole in the window in no time, and awkwardly stood in the living room waiting for Regina. She shivered at the chill in the room. “It’s a good thing you're not going to be staying here. It’s only been a couple of hours and it’s already freezing,” Emma said when Regina came back with a small bag of her belongings.

 

“I turned the heat off. No point in wasting energy or money heating the place if I’m not even going to be here,” she shrugged.

 

“Good thinking. Are you ready? Do you need me to carry anything?”

 

“I think… I’m good,” Regina said, taking one last look around. “Is there anything you need me to bring?”

 

“Um…” 

 

“I don’t know, like pillows or towels? I didn’t get some things because I figured you already had them,” Regina explained.

 

“Oh, yeah, I’ve got a lot of pillows. They’re pretty nice. And towels. But you can bring whatever you want. Otherwise, I’m ready when you are.” 

 

Regina shrugged. “Well then. Lead the way, Emma.”

* * *

 

If Emma had thought it was weird being in Regina’s apartment, she clearly wasn’t prepared for Regina being in hers.

 

The minute they walked in, Emma immediately felt self-conscious. Her apartment was so small compared to Regina’s, it was a total mess, and did it always smell this weird? She turned to see Regina surveying the apartment with an unreadable expression. When Regina caught Emma watching her, the blonde snapped her head away. “Um, you can keep your stuff over here. Or there. Anywhere there’s space, really,” she said as she started shuffling around, picking up a few discarded items of clothing, coffee cups, and whatever other crap she’d been too lazy to deal with earlier.

 

She heard Regina putting her stuff down in the first space Emma had pointed out, off to the side near the “kitchen.” She kicked some stuff into her closet before dropping the dishes in the sink and turning around. 

 

She loved her apartment, but she’d never invited anyone in before, and she had gotten so used to it that she had forgotten how anyone else might see it, especially a guest. Especially a guest from an apartment that has actual rooms and actual furniture. Emma only had a table with a few chairs that weren’t particularly comfy or fancy, a loveseat, a bean bag chair, and a bed.  _ Oh god. The  _ bed. Singular. She only has one bed. She turned to see Regina noticing the same thing, her eyes a little wider than before.  _ Oh god, what have I gotten myself into? _

 

“It’s small, I know. But it’s…”  _ What is it? _ Victor said it was the shittiest apartment in the building. The rent price had decreased over time, whenever it had its bigger problems, and he told her that she paid the least in rent and the most in repairs out of everyone. There was no excuse she could make for her apartment. 

 

“It’s nice,” Regina said.

 

Emma laughed, “You don’t have to lie. I know it’s not.” Regina just shrugged. “I mean, I like it, but I know it’s a terrible apartment. A lot of stuff doesn’t work, and the heat cuts out sometimes. Hopefully it won’t. The water heats up pretty quick too, so I generally have hot water,” she said gesturing at her bathroom, wincing again when she remembers that it was hardly a bathroom. It  _ was _ in the sense that it had all the things that made a bathroom  _ a bathroom _ , but it  _ wasn’t _ in the sense that it had little to no privacy. The door was a  _ curtain _ for fuck’s sake. 

 

“Um…” Emma didn’t know where to go from there. She felt like she ought to apologize, but it wasn’t like she could have controlled the way her apartment was. “I know you said you’d stay with me, but now that you’ve  _ seen _ my apartment, you’re totally allowed to change your mind.”

 

Regina looked at Emma for a long moment before shrugging. “It’s only for a few days, right?” she asked as she made her way to the loveseat and making herself comfortable. Emma, who was expecting her to change her mind and leave, looked after her, slack jawed, until Regina gave her a small smile.

 

“Right. Okay.” Emma walked the few steps she needed to end up in the living area to sit with Regina. Squishing next to her on the small couch didn’t seem like the best option, so she opted for the bean bag chair. “So… what do you wanna do?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean… I don’t know. Are you hungry? Should I make food? Fair warning, I can’t really cook anything besides mac and cheese or ramen. So that’s all I have.”

 

“I could cook something,” Regina offered. “I could pick up some stuff from the store, if it’s okay that I cook here?”

 

“You can, if you want. I have all the cooking stuff you might need. The stove works but the oven doesn’t. I have a little toaster oven though, which I know isn’t the same, but still.”

 

Regina stood and walked into the tiny kitchen space. “That should work. I’ll knock when I come back?”

 

“Do you want me to go with you?”

 

“No, it’s alright,” Regina said, putting her coat and gloves back on. “You don’t have any allergies do you?”

 

“Nope. I’ll literally eat anything.”

 

Regina snorted through a smile. “Okay. I think I have an idea. I’ll be back shortly.”

 

She was halfway out the door when Emma called after her, “You can just walk in.”

 

“What?”

 

“When you get back… you can just walk in. You don’t have to knock. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you.” Regina smiled at her in affirmation before sliding the door closed behind her.

 

As soon as the door was closed, Emma let out a heavy breath, trying to recover from the buzzed feeling this entire situation was giving her. She made the most of her time alone, cleaning up the apartment. Making sure the bed was made, picking up all her underwear off the floor, doing the dishes, cleaning the toilet, and plugging in her tiny, fake Christmas tree.

 

When she was done, she took a step back (into the wall) and smiled at the difference. She was lighting a Christmas cookie scented candle as soon as she heard Regina pulling the door open.

 

“Welcome back,” Emma said, trying not to blush as Regina gaped at the space. Emma knew she did a decent job, but she hardly expected Regina to notice. “I tried to clean up a bit. Make it look a little nicer in here, you know?”

 

“Well, you did a great job. Not that it needed it,” Regina smiled.

 

“Ha, yeah…” Emma said, thinking about all the embarrassing things she’d cleaned up that she was sure Regina wouldn’t have appreciated.

 

“I like your tree.”

 

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. It suits my apartment pretty well.”

 

“Unique?”

 

“Small,” Emma blushed, “But thanks.” Regina turned to start preparing everything in the kitchen, and Emma wandered over to investigate. “What are you making?”

 

“Nothing fancy. Some chicken and vegetables. Rice. I had some seasonings in my apartment I picked up too. How do you feel about spicy?”

 

“I like spicy,” Emma grinned.

 

“Me too.”

 

“Do you want me to help?” Regina just shook her head as she cooked, a pleasant smile on her face, and if Emma wasn’t invested before, she certainly was now. This girl was nothing like what she had expected, and all she could think about was that she wanted to get to know her more. 

 

She waited until Regina had finished cooking and set everything up with Emma’s eclectic dishes. “So, Regina, what do you do? What’s your story?”

 

“My story?”

 

“Yeah, you know… like what do you like to do? Do you have a job? A boyfriend? A pet? Well, no, you obviously don’t have a pet. Um…”

 

The brunette fought back a laugh. “You talk a lot.”

 

“Sorry,” Emma mumbled.

 

“Don’t be.” She gave Emma a reassuring smile before continuing. “I’m not in school, anymore, but I  _ do _ have a job. Two, actually. Not anything important though. Pays the bills. As I told you just now, I like to cook. I like to read. What else did you ask?” She squinted her eyes in thought for a moment in thought. “Oh, right. It’s just me. No pet,” she laughed. “No… significant other.”

 

_ Hmm, interesting word choice. _ “When you were in school, what’d you study?”

 

“Ah, I was studying business,” she rolled her eyes. “My mother’s idea. She wanted me to take over her business one day, so she wanted me to get the degree and start working in the company.”

 

“Oh. Is that what one of your jobs is?”

 

“No,” Regina answered simply. “So, what about you?”

 

“Oh, um…” Emma was thrown by the sudden shift in conversation, but it wasn’t like she could expect Regina to spill her life story to her. They had only known each other a few hours after all. “I’m in school. Studying English. I also work at the on-campus bookstore, but since school is on break, it’s closed, so it’s been boring.”

 

“That’s what I wanted to study,” Regina said softly.

 

“English? Why don’t you?”

 

“I will one day. But I can’t afford it right now. Hence the two jobs…”

 

Emma nodded, “Yeah, I’m barely making it, so I get that. Have you applied for scholarships and stuff?”

 

“Maybe.” Regina shifted uncomfortably, an indication to Emma that she needed to drop the subject.

 

“Okay, so other questions. I like to read too, but honestly I’m more into movies. As you can see, I don’t have a pet either, and the most special person in my life is probably… I don’t know,” Emma laughed. “It’s just me too. You’re the first person I’ve ever invited over.”

 

“Really?”

 

“You sound surprised.”

 

She looked surprised too. “You just seem like the kind of person that would have a lot of friends. You have that kind of personality…” Emma smiled, muttering a thank you. The conversation fell silent for a moment until Regina started back with, “So you don’t have any Christmas plans with your family?”

 

“Nope, no family,” Emma said. “I’m an orphan.”

 

“Regina’s mouth twisted into a frown. “Oh, I’m so sorry… what… I mean, when…”

 

Emma shook her head, “It’s fine, really. It’s always been like this. I grew up in the foster system.” The other girl’s frown only grew. “I’m okay with it, more now than I used to be,” she shrugged. “Anyway, what about you? No big family Christmas?”

 

Regina stared at her for a long moment as if debating whether to talk about it or not. “I’m not in contact with my family,” she finally admitted after a long moment. “It wasn’t my choice, but after everything, I can’t say I’m upset about it.”

 

“If you want to talk about it, you’re welcome to, but there’s no pressure to explain. We can talk about something else if you want.” 

 

The brunette smiled up at her, “Thanks, Emma. The same goes for you.”

 

Emma grinned back, taking another bite of her food. “This is really good by the way. Since you’ll be here tomorrow, maybe we can make a fancy meal for Christmas. You can make some stuff, and I can make mac and cheese, maybe green beans or some vegetable cause those are pretty easy, and we can get some wine or something. You like wine, right? What do you think?”

 

“That sounds great,” Regina smiled. “I can’t wait.”

 

“Ooh, I have another idea. We can have a Christmas movie marathon! That would be fun too. Do you have to work?”

 

“I actually have Christmas off. Eve and Day.”

 

“Oh, nice. Me too.”

 

The rest of dinner ran smoothly, and Emma cleaned up everything, refusing Regina’s help. “It’s my apartment, and also you did all the cooking, so, no, I’m not letting you help.”

 

Regina grumbled and walked into the living area before turning back to Emma. “So, what’s next? Any ideas?”

 

“Um… I don’t know. I have some store bought Christmas cookies and eggnog?”

 

Regina laughed, “Do you think about anything other than food.

 

“Wow, it’s like you’ve known me for a lifetime rather than just, what, four hours?” She rolled her eyes at Regina’s smirk. “You’re right though. I do like food a lot, but I was just trying to think of Christmas-y things. I’m sorry I’m not a very good host. We could play a game?”

 

“What kind of game?”

 

“Uh, I’ve got cards,  _ Scrabble _ ,  _ Battleship _ , and then I guess there’s other stuff that don’t require materials--”

 

“I am  _ not _ playing  _ Truth or Dare _ .”

 

“Well I was thinking  _ I Spy _ , but that works too,” Emma said, sticking her tongue out. “Or  _ Never Have I Ever _ .”

 

“No.”

 

“Why? You don’t want to lose?”

 

“Which is losing again? Doing the most things or doing less things?”

 

Emma shrugged, “I don’t know. Either? Guess it depends on the things. It’s all a matter of perspective, really.”

 

“Never have I ever played  _ Scrabble _ with someone I just met,” Regina said with a smirk.

 

The blonde returned the look, “Me neither. You want to?”

 

“You’re on.” With a wide grin, Emma grabbed the game from her shelf and started setting it up. “We’re playing on the floor?”

 

“Of course. The floor’s more fun, Gina,” Emma smiled up at her, hoping the brunette wouldn’t knock the cute nickname. It felt right, the growing familiarity, and Emma hoped it would only continue.

 

Regina squinted down at Emma, didn’t comment on the nickname, and made her way down to the carpeted floor across from Emma. She pulled out her phone, and after a moment, Christmas music started playing. Emma couldn’t stop her smile from widening as she looked up at Regina, her brown eyes shining just as bright as Emma felt. “Is this alright?”

 

Nodding, Emma tried to find her voice again, “Absolutely. I didn’t even think about music. You’re very, um… smart. Thoughtful.” Regina smiled as she looked down, letting her hair drop over her face, but she wasn’t fast enough to hide the pink tint lighting up her cheeks. It made Emma’s grin even wider. “Did you want cookies or eggnog?”

 

“Yes? Is it nonalcoholic?”

 

Emma snorted, “What do you think?” She stood to walk to the kitchen, resisting the urge to skip. It wasn’t as though she had an actual kitchen (or any room at all for that matter) to dance around in where Regina couldn’t see her.

 

By the time she got back, Regina had already played her first word.  _ Queen _ . Giving her a head start of twenty-four points. “Jesus, Regina. You’re already giving me a run for my money. I’m really gonna need this, aren’t I?” she asked, passing Regina her own glass of eggnog. The brunette just quirked her eyebrows. 

 

“Your move.”

 

* * *

Regina ended up winning with a score so high Emma felt the need to fall to the floor in a shamed defeat, though it might have had something to do with the amount of eggnog she consumed,  _ it  _ being her collapse  _ and _ her score.

 

“There, there, Emma,” Regina cooed in a mocking voice, patting Emma’s head, which rested right next to her. The blonde playfully swatted her hand away, and rolled away from her.

 

“C’mon. Don’t be a sore winner.”

 

“I’ll tell you what. If you stop pouting, I won’t brag.” Emma scoffed before turning over on her back. “Okay, fine. How about we have a rematch, and I’ll go easy on you.”

 

“Asshole,” Emma muttered behind a yawn.

 

“It is getting late, isn’t it?”

 

“Yeah, but the nog made me sleeeeepy.”

 

“That or all the cookies you ate.”

 

Emma gaped at her, still on the floor, “I didn’t eat that many!”

 

“You ate a whole sleeve and then got mad at me for eating all the cookies,” Regina laughed, brushing a strand of hair from Emma’s face.

 

Emma huffed, “In my defense you did eat the last one…” and then anything else she was going to say was suddenly lost on her as she became aware of the contact between them. She tried not to let it show, but Regina’s hand halted mid-thread through Emma’s hair and she retracted it shortly after.

 

“So, are you ready for bed?”

 

“Yeah,” Emma said as she scrambled off the floor. Regina did the same, only with much more grace, before heading to the bathroom to change. As she did, it dawned on Emma that she didn’t own a single pair of pajama bottoms. No one was ever here, so sleeping in her underwear became the only way she ever slept, if not completely nude, but now, she had a guest, and the panic was back.

 

It took a bit of rummaging, but she found a pair of boyshorts that were modest enough (though that might have been a stretch) and a t-shirt that she slipped over her head just as Regina walked out of the bathroom. “Oh.” Emma turned at Regina’s surprised voice. “Sorry,” but she didn’t sound sorry or  _ look _ sorry as her eyes ogled Emma’s legs. 

 

Meanwhile, Emma was doing the same to Regina (who was wearing actual pajama shorts but still), but she caught herself before the brunette could notice. “Okay, so you’ve probably noticed already, but I only have one bed.”

 

Regina nodded slowly. “Okay…”

 

“Is that okay? I can sleep on the… couch,” Emma said, hoping she wouldn’t have to. Not because she  _ wanted _ to sleep with Regina (okay, well maybe that too), but because it’s cramped and tiny.

 

“Nonsense,” Regina said, reaching her hand out and resting it on Emma’s arm. “We’ll share.”

 

“Yeah, it’s big enough for both of us.”

 

“Exactly. There’s nothing to… worry about.” 

 

It felt like they were dancing around the obvious, but what  _ the obvious _ was, Emma didn’t know. The elephant in the room wasn’t coming forward.

 

But then, as if on cue, the room suddenly got too quiet and too still, and Emma groaned. “What’s wrong?” 

 

“You know how I said the heat sometimes cuts out?” Regina nodded. “Well, that just happened. I don’t know for how long. Sometimes it cuts itself back on, but sometimes I have to get Victor to help me with it.” Emma felt so bad. This was going to be a disaster.

 

But Regina seemed unfazed. “It’s okay, Emma. We’ll make do.” She smiled before turning to walk to the platform that was Emma’s bedroom and promptly getting under the covers. Emma followed with a growing fear.

 

She turned the light out and climbed under the covers next to Regina, trying not to think about the space between them or the chill in the air that seems to be getting to her even under the covers.

 

“Emma?”

 

“Yeah?” She turned to face Regina, her breath catching slightly when she took in the way the moonlight illuminated her bare face in a subtle glow. 

 

Regina shifted nervously, just a little but enough that Emma could tell she was hesitating. She opened her mouth before shutting it again, once and then a second time, and when Emma thought it was going to happen a third, she prepared herself to say something, though she wasn’t sure what, but before she could, Regina scooted closer to her until they were only centimeters apart.

 

“Can I-- Can we…um… are you cold?” Regina finally managed, and Emma thought she really must be nervous because she was starting to sound like  _ her _ .

 

“I’m really cold,” Emma answered.

 

“Can I help?”

 

And really, it was a miracle Emma didn’t die on the spot. “Please?” Emma squeaked. The prompt embarrassment she felt at her little whine of gay desperation dissipated as she felt Regina’s warm body resting against hers and was replaced by all kinds of other gay feelings. 

 

She wrapped her arms around Regina, pulling the blankets up more and bringing the brunette closer as their legs tangled together, and Emma thought it should feel weird, cuddling with a stranger.

 

But it wasn’t weird, and this wasn’t just any stranger.

 

It was Regina.

 

Everything about this felt right.


	2. Christmas Eve

When Emma woke up the next morning, she and Regina were still tangled up together. It was more intimate than the night before, Emma realized as her fingertips brushed against Regina’s bare back under her shirt.

 

She was stunned, but she couldn’t get over how soft Regina’s skin was, so she left her hand where it was, lightly tracing circles around her lower back as she zoned out, wondering what the day would bring. She should get up and make Regina breakfast. Or would that be weird? Maybe she should save that for Christmas Day. That was something a normal person would do, right? 

 

She was abruptly pulled from her thoughts when Regina released the softest of moans and pulled herself closer to Emma's body. The blonde’s hand halted for a moment against Regina's back when she felt her breath against her neck, her fingers curling around Emma's bare waist, but she recovered quickly, worried that the sudden change in contact would wake the other girl. 

 

Emma felt the steady breaths letting her know that Regina was still asleep, and as she looked down at her adorable and sleepy form, she wondered what would happen if she were to press her lips to Regina's head. She could. Regina was close enough.

 

After a few moments of debating, she decided to do it, just to see, but just as she moved closer, Regina moved a little before pulling away with a stretch and a yawn. Her hand still rested against Emma's stomach, while Emma's hand had ended up on Regina's hip. Too panicked that Regina might react badly to their positioning, Emma froze in place, eyes wide. 

 

The brunette blinked a few times before finally looking at Emma, and instead of freaking out like Emma was, she smiled really big. “Morning, Emma.” She sat up, pulling away from the blonde completely, her hand lingering across Emma's skin in a way that made her entire body burn. 

 

“Good morning?” Emma said, immediately wanting to disappear at the sound of her voice,  squawky with frazzled nerves and still thick with sleep (among other things).

 

Regina laughed though, so Emma figured it wasn't too bad if she got to hear the most beautiful sound in the morning. She felt a soft hand against her thigh, and she looked up to see Regina still smiling at her. Emma blushed a blush to end all blushes as she was rendered speechless. 

 

“Do you want to go get coffee? Or did you want to make some here?”

 

“Uh…” Emma cleared her throat. “We  _ could _ make it here, but my coffee maker is shit. But I, uh, I'd be happy to make you coffee,” Emma ended with a mumble. 

 

Regina grinned, “Who said I wasn't going to make it for you?”

 

Emma ducked her head, “I don't know. You're my guest?”  _ My cute guest…  _ Emma wanted to add. 

 

“Tell me your favorite coffee.”

 

“I don't know,” Emma laughed. “I can't usually afford to be too picky.”

 

“Hmm…” Regina squinted at her, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “Okay,” she said as she climbed off the bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready. 

 

Emma stared after her, not sure if she should get up and make coffee or not. She decided just to stay put until Regina came back. 

 

It wasn't long before the other girl was ready to leave, looking too perfect after only five minutes in the bathroom first thing in the morning, and she walked back up to Emma. “I'll be back.”

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“You'll see,” Regina winked as she pulled the door open, leaving Emma sitting on the bed, still as disheveled as when she'd woken up. 

 

Emma wasted no time in jumping out of the bed and rushing to get ready for the day, determined to look cute for Regina. She ended up dressing in her favorite sweater, her best skinny jeans, and her nicest boots, and after spending a perfectly adequate amount of time on her makeup, she was satisfied with her appearance. Fortunately, time was on her side, because as she put the finishing touches on her hair, there was a knock at the door.

 

She opened the door with a hard tug to reveal Regina, grinning at her with two steaming coffee cups in her hands. “Hi,” she said, stepping into the apartment. 

 

“You got me coffee?” Emma couldn’t help to ask.

 

Regina held it out to her as an answer. “I hope you like it. I had to make some guesses, but if you don’t like it, we can switch.”

 

“It’s from you, so I’m sure I’ll like it,” Emma blushed, taking a sip to stop her mouth from blabbing anymore. The coffee was perfect. Somehow Regina had really nailed it, managing to pick something with every flavor she loved, and she broke out into another wide grin as she lowered the cup to meet Regina’s expectant eyes. “This is so good, oh my god! I mean, literally perfect. I don’t even know how you did this. Magic? It’s like all my favorite things…”

 

“A lady never reveals her secrets…” Regina winked. 

 

“Seriously?” Regina smirked into her own coffee. “Okay, well, fine. You’re very talented. Cinnamon is my favorite flavor, and I like sweet a lot more than bitter.”

 

“It’s good we didn’t trade then,” Regina laughed. Emma raised an eyebrow at her. “Americano…” Regina explained, holding her cup up.

 

Emma made a face, but shrugged, laughing with her. “I mean, I still would have drank it. It’s still coffee. Would you have drank mine? I take it you’re not a big fan of sweet…”

 

Regina scoffed. “I like sweet!”

 

“Yeah, like what?” Emma teased.

 

“I liked those cookies you had?”

 

“You only ate, like, two…”

 

“I played the word  _ sweet _ in Scrabble last night!”

 

“That doesn’t count,” Emma laughed.

 

“I like you?”

 

Emma’s breath caught in her throat so suddenly at hearing those words, and it didn’t return to normal until after Regina’s eyes widened and she stumbled for a moment to say, “As a person. A friend. I think we’re friends, aren’t we?” She looked down, unsure and worried, and Emma’s heart finally settled a normal pace. “You.. You’re sweet,” she ended with a soft mumble, eyes downcast.

 

“Yeah, I think we’re friends. I mean… Yah, Regina. We’re friends,” she said with a comforting smile. “Thanks for the coffee. Do you want to try it?”

 

“No, I’m okay.”

 

“See! Oh my god I was right! You don’t like sweet,” Emma teased, lightening the brunette’s off mood.

 

“Give me that,” Regina laughed as she snatched the coffee from Emma’s hands and taking a sip. “See, I told you.”

 

Emma grinned.  _ I like you _ .  _ You’re sweet _ . “That you did.”

* * *

 

 

Their day started off without much issue. There were a fair amount of differences between the two of them, but they never found it hard to make a decision.

 

They created a list of things they would need to prepare a perfect Christmas dinner, and where Emma’s concerns were (finances), Regina had it covered, and where Regina’s concerns were (Emma’s kitchen), Emma was confident. With each choice, they pulled each other along in a constant stream of balance.

 

It was at lunch, another perfect decision (made easy by the mall food court), that the balance tipped.

 

“We should split up and buy each other a Christmas present,” Emma suddenly announced.

 

Regina looked stunned. “We should?”

 

“Yeah, why not? I mean, it’s Christmas after all.” The stunned look on Regina’s face had Emma unsure. “I mean, we don’t have to… I just thought… uh, nevermind.”

 

“No! Emma, that’s a great idea. I’m just surprised. And a little nervous. I haven’t bought anyone a Christmas present in a while.”

 

Emma shrugged, “I haven’t gotten one in a while. So I doubt you’ll mess it up.”

 

“Oh god, that makes me even more nervous.”

 

“Regina, seriously,” Emma smiled, placing a hand over the brunette’s. “Seriously, don’t worry about it. It’ll be great no matter what. You guessed my coffee exactly right, so I’m sure you’ll nail the present too.” Regina nodded, her smile slowly returning. Emma didn’t move her hand until they got up.

 

So they each picked a direction and went off in search of presents for the other. Emma hadn’t been nervous before, but now that she was actually considering what to get Regina, everything spiraled into panic fairly quickly, especially because she didn’t have much to spend. Enough, sure, but Regina deserved the best.

 

She went back and forth between a few places, torn between the possibilities. One option was smarter, as in, she could pitch in more with dinner. It was still something she was sure Regina would  _ like _ , but the other option  _ felt  _ right. 

 

With five minutes to spare, she made the impulsive choice. Unfortunately, she didn’t realize until she left the store that she ought to have agreed to gift wrapping, because for one, Regina might be able to see through the bag, and two, her wrapping would be poor quality, not to mention in newspaper, but it would be fine.

 

She approached Regina with the bag behind her back. “I have to hide this in my car until I can wrap it. Wait here?” The brunette smiled as she rolled her eyes, and Emma took her cue before dashing from the mall to her car and hiding the gift under her seat, where it wouldn’t interfere with grocery shopping.

 

“It’s a good thing I didn’t need to hide mine as well.” Emma jumped, almost hitting her head against the doorframe of her car.

 

“Regina! What if I wasn’t ready?” The brunette just shrugged as Emma continued. “So, you had the store wrap it?”

 

“Nope. I got lucky. The Girl Scouts had their gift wrapping station set up on my side.”

 

Emma balked, “Not fair!”

 

“Plenty fair. Are you ready for our next adventure?”

 

“Grocery shopping? I’d hardly call that an adventure…”

 

Regina snorted, “Yes, well, while we were buying each other’s presents, I thought of something to do before dinner. We’ll still have some time to kill, and since we’ll be watching movies all night, I thought we should do something else. Something more… active.” 

 

Emma narrowed her eyes at the brunette. “Why do I have a bad feeling about this…”

 

“I don’t know, but you shouldn’t because it’s going to be so much fun. I promise.”

 

The blonde was wary, but she went along with Regina’s plan. They went grocery shopping and Emma picked out all the items for dishes she couldn't mess up (the ingredients for her mac and cheese, rice, vegetables, and dessert), and Regina went after the rest, (a small turkey, seasonings, and the wine to accompany their meal). 

 

Everything was accomplished within a reasonable amount of time, and they made a stop by Emma’s apartment so that they could drop everything off, so Regina could start cooking the turkey in the crock pot she brought up from her place. “Ready, Emma?” 

 

“Not really?” Emma answered, no closer to guessing what Regina’s plan was than she was when she first heard about it.

 

Regina rolled her eyes. “It’s fine, okay? Just make sure you dress extra warm because we’ll be outside.”

 

“I  _ am  _ dressed warm…”

 

“I’d hardly call that sad excuse for a jacket  _ warm _ .”

 

“Hey! I like it. Besides, I’ve got on this sweater. It’s kind of warm? Okay, if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll get a hat. And gloves,” she said as she retreated backwards to her closet, hoping she’d be able to retrieve a hat she deemed good enough in not much time. The last thing she needed was for Regina to notice how much effort she was putting into her appearance. She was so smart, no doubt she would figure out  _ why _ as well (if she hadn’t already).

 

She threw on the first hat she grabbed and marched over to Regina with a huff. “You look adorable,” she smiled. “Come on, let’s go.” She grabbed Emma’s hand and tugged her along behind. Emma didn’t have an issue keeping up, but her heart sure seemed to.

 

Since Regina knew where they were going, she was the one to drive, and the whole time, all Emma could do was think. 

 

She would look over at the girl next to her, smiling over at Emma, and it was amazing that they’d only known each other for the brief amount of time that they had. Everything with her felt so… natural.

 

Emma’s only concern was that she was falling too hard for Regina. It wasn’t that she was going to desperately fall into anything that felt good, it was that this felt like more than it was. When Regina smiled at her, she felt less alone, and when their hands brushed together, Emma felt like she had a purpose beyond the comprehensible parts of the universe.

 

It was no surprise that she was falling for her, not because she was a literal angel (which she was), but because Emma always seemed to fall for the straight girl. I mean, it wasn’t  _ confirmed _ that Regina was straight, but Emma was sure of it. She  _ always  _ fell for the straight girl, after all.

 

But the way Regina looked at her made her question,  _ maybe she isn’t? _ Things like that smile, or the way her touch always lingered, or some of her decisions, like-- “Ice skating??” Emma suddenly exclaimed as Regina finally parked. “You’re taking me ice skating?”

 

“Have you ever been?”

 

“No, I’ve only seen people go in movies. It always looks…”  _ Couply. Romantic? Not platonic? _

 

Regina evades any possible completion to that sentence. “You’re going to love it.”

 

To Emma’s surprise, she kind of did. And she didn’t just love it because Regina held her hand the whole time, or because she got to look at the smile on the brunette’s face grow regardless, or because the cold was turning Regina’s nose pink and it was as cute as it was the first time they met, she loved it because it was fun, and well… Regina was there.

 

“Emma, you’re gonna have to let go of the wall sometime!”

 

“Yeah, and fall down? I don’t think so!”

 

“You can still hold my hand,” Regina laughed. “Silly.”

 

Emma scowled, “You’re silly if you think I’m about to let go of this extremely solid force of nature.” Regina just laughed and tried to tug Emma away.

 

“It’s not even that sturdy. They only just put it up for those of us coming out here to skate. You’re in much better hands if you come with me.”

 

“Oh, am I?” Eventually, Emma let Regina pull her away from the wall and take both of Emma’s hands, leading her around while skating backwards, while Emma struggled in the normal, forward direction. “Show off,” Emma grumbled.

 

“Are you saying you’re not impressed with my skills?”

 

“Oh, I am, alright,” Emma said. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not a show off,” she finished, sticking out her tongue. But she didn’t let go of Regina’s hand once, and Regina didn’t let go of hers. Even when she got the hang of it, they remained together until they needed both hands to untie their ice skates.

 

They collapsed together on the loveseat when they got back to Emma’s apartment, sore and worn out. For a moment, all Emma could think about was her thigh resting right next to Regina’s but she managed a laugh, “Too tired to cook?”

 

“You forget, dear, we’ve technically already started cooking,” she nods in the direction of Emma’s tiny kitchen.

 

“Maybe  _ you _ have,” Emma mumbles before tilting her head until it bumped against Regina’s shoulder.

 

She was disappointed when the brunette bumped it off as she stood up, but a little less so when she said, “We’ll have more time for that later. If you’re as hungry as I think you are, we need to get to work..”

 

As if on cue Emma’s stomach grumbled, and she groaned in response to it. “Fiiiine.”

 

Regina threw a grin over her shoulder as she walked to the kitchen, Emma not far behind her. “You know, I just realized, how are you going to make mac and cheese without a functioning oven?”

 

“The microwave?” Emma laughed when Regina gave her a horrified look. “Okay, so I actually  _ can _ make mac and cheese from scratch, but since the oven is out of order, you’ll have to wait to try it.”

 

“Are you saying there’s going to be a  _ next time _ ?”

 

Emma blushed at the very idea, but nodded a little nonetheless. “Of course,” she answered, very seriously, suddenly too aware of her proximity to Regina as they stood next to each other in the tiny space in front of Emma’s tiny kitchen counter.

 

It made her nervous. The way Regina’s arm brushed her shoulder and the way all she wanted to do was respond by pulling Regina closer by her waist, and slowly bring their lips together, moving soft against them until Regina was the one calling the shots. With that image in mind, she closed her eyes just in time to miss Regina’s gaze flickering down to her lips, and turning her head in time to miss Regina leaning in just enough to indicate everything Emma wanted that moment to be.

 

“So, what’ll take the longest to cook? We should do that first right? I’m pretty sure it’s nothing I’m in charge of… vegetables and microwave mac...” Emma lightly scoffed to herself.

 

Regina cleared her throat. “Right. Maybe the smashed potatoes. Did you want to open a bottle of wine while we cook?” She asked as she opened the bottle without waiting for Emma’s answer.

 

“Um…” Emma went ahead and pulled out her only two stemless wine glasses for Regina, holding them out before realizing her hands were shaking just a bit too noticeably and she set them on the table. “Okay,” Emma said once the glasses were poured and Regina was already taking her first sip. “So, what do you need me to do?”

 

“Would you mind boiling some water? I’m gonna cut the potatoes. You don’t mind them smashed do you?”

 

“No. You remember I said I’d eat anything, right?” 

 

Regina laughed. “You did say that… kind of makes me want to test the theory.”

 

“Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good. Maybe I shouldn’t let you cook for me after this,” Emma teased. Regina gave a short laugh, tense and unamused, and Emma didn’t know exactly  _ what _ had happened, but she wanted to make it better. “But you know I will. Anytime.”

 

With that, the brunette’s smile came back, and Emma felt her heart glow with warmth. 

 

Their combined efforts in the kitchen made the preparation speed by, and Emma was surprised by how much fun she was having. She usually hated cooking, but having Regina there to teach her all the ins and outs, all her special tricks and secrets, kept Emma’s attention. That and the way they were pulled together stereotypically by instruction. Emma trying something new, and Regina hovering close to make sure it was done correctly.

 

She was learning, but it wasn’t all serious. They’d been drinking wine and it was only making the atmosphere more light and full of laughter. 

 

Emma held up a spoon of smashed potatoes for Regina’s taste of approval, but when she’d gone to take the bite, Emma had lifted the large wooden spoon up enough to leave a dollop of creamy potatoes on the brunette’s nose. “Emma!” she exclaimed. “You better clean that off.”

 

“Or what?” Emma laughed. Regina crossed her arms and gave her a look, mostly serious besides the tugging of a smile at the corners of her lips. Emma’s gaze flickered down to them a couple of times before returning her attention back to the potatoes on Regina’s nose.

 

She brought her finger up to the brunette’s nose, removing the potatoes with one clean swipe. She wasn’t entirely sure what possessed her to do it, maybe it had something to do with the way Regina’s eyes smoldered into hers, but she brought her finger down to Regina’s lips. To her surprise, Regina opened her mouth before closing it around Emma’s finger, sucking it clean of the creamy potatoes.

 

Their eyes remained locked as Emma slowly brought her hand back down to her side, and she was sure it was some kind of tipsy confidence that had her step closer, more sure than she was before, but Regina turned away, blushing hard. “Um,” she cleared her throat. “Good job. On the smashed potatoes, I mean.”

 

Emma swallowed her disappointment at another potentially lost moment, as well as her most recently occurring thought that straight girls don’t suck potatoes off other girls’ fingers, and smiled. “Thanks,” she responded as she turned to pour the both of them more wine while Regina set the table.

 

They set everything around like a proper feast, and Emma beamed at Regina as she set up some flameless tealight candles in the middle. “Now it really feels fancy.”

 

“That’s one word for it,” Regina smirked.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing,” Regina mumbled.

 

Once they started eating, Emma was the first to break the silence. “You did really good, Gina.”

 

The brunette smiled to herself, “Thank you.” After a moment of silence, Regina finally looked up at Emma. “I was worried it wouldn’t be very good. I’ve never made a Christmas dinner before. Or really had one. My mother didn’t think to do anything special, so it would be more of the same at the holidays.”

 

Not wanting to push the other girl to talk about it, she just smiled, placing a hand on Regina’s arm. “It’s great.”

 

She planned on the room falling silent again, but Regina surprised her by speaking up. “Do you remember I said I wasn’t in contact with them anymore?”

 

“Yeah, you said it wasn’t your choice,” Emma recollected. “But, look, Regina, don’t feel obligated to tell me. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to…”

 

“No, it’s okay. I want to tell you. I’ve never talked about it, to anyone, and I’d like to.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve been on my own for about two years now. I was in school, studying business, and I only had one year left of school, which my mother was paying for, so I was very careful not to upset her. I did everything she asked, which included studying what she wanted, but one day she decided the two of us should go out to lunch.

 

“She told me everything I’d always wanted to hear. She apologized for years of not being a good enough mother. She said she wanted to spend more time with me and that she wanted to support me more and the things that I liked and was passionate about. She told me that I had a choice. For the first time ever, I thought she wanted what was best for me. She told me to confide in her, and I did…

 

“She’d known that I wanted to study English instead, but saying it outloud felt so  _ freeing _ , and I wanted to feel that way about everything. If she wasn’t going to yell at me for wanting to drop business, I thought I had a chance. So I came out to her.”

 

Emma’s eyes widened, “You… you came out to her? Like…”

 

“I’m bisexual,” Regina nodded. “And she’d said a few things before that day that made me believe she was pro-LGBTQ, but I think it was all an act to test me. Then when I opened up and failed her test, she kicked me out. I stayed in my dorm room until they told me that I had to leave… that I was no longer enrolled.”

 

“Regina, I’m… I’m so sorry.” Emma stared at her with a flurry of emotions. She wanted to smile and dance at the news that she wasn’t falling for another straight girl, that maybe she had an actual chance, but the sad reality of Regina’s story sobered her emotions. She placed her hand over Regina’s, giving the girl her best reassuring smile.

 

Regina smiled back. “It was hard for awhile, but I’ve done a good job making it back to some kind of normal after that. I mean, in some cases I got lucky. Finding my first job was mostly luck, as was getting the apartment I have now. I used to be in a gross one next to Whale’s in the basement.”

 

Emma laughed. “He told me. I’m sorry you had to deal with his drunk ass, but I’m glad it ended up being beneficial.” Regina raised her eyebrows in agreement, chuckling into her wine. “So you haven’t seen any of your family since?”

 

“Not really, no. I’ve talked to my sister some. We’re okay, but she works for our mom, so she has to be careful about helping me or contacting me. Our mother is very powerful. She could ruin Zee’s career. Make it so she never has another job.” Regina sighed, “It hasn’t been easy, but I’m glad I’m out.” She laughed, “In more ways than one.”

 

Emma nodded, “What’s the point of life if you always have to pretend, you know? I get that. A few of the foster homes I was put in were really conservative, so I’d have to fake it. Most of the time I wouldn’t though. I’d fight them on it, cause I hated pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Then I’d get sent off to another home. I’m glad I don’t have to hide anymore.”

 

She looked over to Regina, a soft smile on her face as her eyes took in Emma. “Me too.”

 

Emma blushed, returning to her food, “Thanks again, Regina. You’ve really made this special,” she mumbled.

 

“I couldn’t have done it without you. I hope you realize that,” Regina said with a pointed look.

 

“I do.” Emma smiled. “Hey, so what Christmas movies do you want to watch? Any favorites? I have a few options.”

 

“How about we watch both our favorites, and then we pick one out together after that?”

 

“Deal.”

 

Regina ended up choosing  _ It’s a Wonderful Life _ , while Emma chose  _ How the Grinch Stole Christmas _ (the original cartoon), and they left the last one up for debate.

 

Emma cleaned up while Regina started Emma’s movie and opened the second bottle of wine. The blonde quirked a brow at her but the other girl just shrugged. “It’s Christmas,” she said, as if that rationalized everything. It didn’t, but Emma wasn’t going to complain.

 

The brunette sat down on the loveseat first, her legs tucked underneath her as she squished to the side as to leave enough room for Emma, but the blonde handed Regina her glass of wine before running to her bed. “What…”

 

“We need a fluffy blanket!” Emma exclaimed as she pulled her comforter off and dragged it to the loveseat. Careful so that Regina wouldn’t spill their wine everywhere, she flopped down next to Regina and draped the blanket over them. It swallowed them whole, but it was warm and comfy, and perfect for Christmas movies with her, uh,  _ Regina _ .

 

There wasn’t a lot of room on the tiny couch, so their bodies were touching no matter how they were positioned, but the more wine they drank and the more time they spent next to each other, from one movie into the next, they gradually became more and more comfortable. 

 

By the time they finished Regina’s choice, Emma was already putting in another movie that she’d decided on by herself ( _ “It’s a  _ surprise _ , Gina, okay?” _ ) while Regina emptied the last of the wine into their glasses. 

 

Emma wandered into the kitchen space, a goofy smile on her face as her whole body buzzed, partially due to the wine, sure, but also with the excitement she’d always wanted Christmas to feel like, and even more with the way Regina made her feel. 

 

“Cheers,” Regina smiled, passing Emma her glass and holding her own out.

 

“Cheers,” Emma said as they clinked glasses and finished off the little they had left. 

 

With their hands no longer burdened by the glasses, getting comfortable on the couch became a whole different experience. They fell together so naturally that Emma couldn’t remember exactly how Regina had ended up curled in her arms like she was. Soft hands ran through her blonde hair, and if Emma wasn’t so excited by it, the motion could have put her to sleep.

 

Every time one of them shifted, Emma only became more and more aware of the arrangement and what it could mean. With every scene of the movie ( _ of course _ she’d chosen  _ Love Actually _ ), Emma felt that tonight had a bigger purpose than everything that had already transpired, and as she watched many of the characters chasing down their happy endings, the more inspired she felt to do the same. So when the credits started rolling, and the clock struck midnight, her and Regina’s bodies pressed together as they rested side by side on the love seat’s tiny space, and Regina whispered in her ear, “This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” Emma had an idea.

 

“I want you to open my present now.”

 

Regina’s eyes widened as Emma sat up on the couch to climb over Regina. “Are you sure? What about tomorrow morning?”

 

“It is tomorrow morning,” Emma grinned. “Technically.” She walked over to the tree where she’d placed her present. She’d sent Regina to hide out in the bathroom while she wrapped it, just so Regina wouldn’t see. It was sloppily wrapped in yesterday’s paper, but Regina smiled wide at it  as she took it from Emma, sitting up to make room for the blonde next to her.

 

“You should grab yours too then,” Regina said.

 

“Are you sure?” The brunette nodded, her eyes smiling and kind of distant as she looked down at Emma’s gift. “You first,” Emma said with a nudge.

 

Her nerves skyrocketed as Regina fumbled with the paper for a moment before slowly unfolding it, like it was delicate and precious. Emma let out a nervous laugh, “It’s not breakable…”

 

“I know,” Regina said, so softly, almost breathlessly, as she continued on as before.

 

Emma didn’t think she could take it, the slow process, the anticipation, the little glances and smiles Regina sent her along the way, but then she lets out a little gasp, the gift finally opened and laying before her. It was a sweater, soft and fluffy, a deep burgundy color with little swans patterned over it.

 

Regina ran her fingers over it before looking up at Emma, her eyes so full of something Emma didn’t have a word for, and before she could second guess herself, Emma had her hand in brunette hair and was pressing her lips against Regina’s, but when she realized what she was doing and that the other girl wasn’t kissing her back, Emma pulled away, fast. 

 

“Oh my god, I’m sorry, I can’t believe… I thought… I--”

 

“Emma…” Regina said, but the blonde refused to make eye contact, kicking herself for misreading everything. “Emma,” she said again, resting a soft hand against Emma’s cheek, which only made her close her eyes tighter.

 

“Regina, I’m sorry.”

 

At that the brunette laughs, just once, but enough to make Emma open her eye again. “You’re an idiot Emma,” she smiled, placing her own gift in the blonde’s lap. “Open it?” she asked, biting her lip to hold back a smile.

 

Emma’s heart was still pounding as she slowly unwrapped her own present, and she was sure she was moving at a much slower pace than Regina, but the other girl waited patiently. Nervous green eyes peeked up at her a few times before she finished opening the present, looking down at her own sweater, thick and warm, striped with a plethora of natural colors. “You got me a sweater too…” Emma mumbled to herself.

 

“Unfold it,” Regina told her.

 

Emma’s brows furrowed together, but she did as Regina said, surprised when something fell out of the sweater and into her lap. She immediately picked it up to examine it. “Is this…”

 

“A window, yes.” It was a little rubber keychain of a window, snow on the sill and mistletoe hanging at the top. “If you hadn’t have broken my window we wouldn’t have met like this.”

 

Emma looked up, mouth open in surprise. Regina had the biggest smile on her face as she brought her hand back up to brush a strand of Emma’s hair back with one hand, the other resting lightly on her thigh. She scooted closer, slowly moving in, and Emma sat frozen next to her, her eyes fluttering closed just as Regina brought their lips together again, moving against Emma’s, confident yet gentle. 

 

Regina’s fingers tangled into Emma’s hair when the blonde kissed her back, running a hand up her arm from her wrist, over her shoulder, to the base of her neck where she lightly stroked the skin before pulling Regina closer and deeper into the kiss.

 

When they finally broke apart, they leaned their foreheads together, and Emma let out a breathy laugh as she met Regina’s gaze. 

 

“Merry Christmas, Emma.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! any feedback is appreciated! (part three will be posted tomorrow so stay tuned!)


	3. Christmas Day

They fell asleep unabashedly wrapped up in the covers and in each other, and that was just how they woke up. 

 

Like the other morning, Emma was the first to wake up, and she smiled into Regina’s neck, leaving kiss after kiss just because she could this time. The brunette shifted as she smiled in her sleep, and Emma froze, hoping she hadn’t woken her up before she could follow through with her surprise.

 

With one final kiss to Regina’s cute nose, she pulled herself away, as subtle as possible, and crept quietly to the kitchen area to work on breakfast.

 

She started with pancakes, mixing the batter and getting them going before putting some bacon in her little toaster oven. She started brewing the coffee just before making some eggs. She spent the whole time thinking about how lucky she was that this had gone how it did. How she’d never had a better Christmas than this and how she hoped all the ones to follow would be 

just as good, if not better. 

 

As she finished everything up, she glanced at the sleeping brunette behind her, smiling when she saw that she was still asleep and looking adorable as usual. She plated everything up, poured a nice cup of coffee before creating a makeshift tray out of a box lid and sneaking her way back up to her bed. 

 

She carefully set the food on the table next to her before climbing back onto the bed and running her fingers through soft brown hair. “Reginaaaa,” Emma sing-songed down at her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. 

 

Regina’s eyes stayed closed but she gave her a sleepy smile before puckering her lips in Emma’s direction. Emma laughed at how cute she was and obliged Regina’s unspoken wish, bringing their lips together, still amazed at their warmth and softness.

 

The brunette smiled against her before pulling back and opening her eyes. “Hi,” she said, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

 

“Hi,” Emma returned as she claimed one more kiss before reaching for the tray next to her. “I have a surprise for you,” she smiled as she passed it to Regina, now sitting up on the bed and gaping at her in a wondered state. 

 

“You made me breakfast in bed?”

 

“Yeah,” Emma blushed. “I hope that’s okay. I don’t even know if you like pancakes and stuff, and I know my coffee isn’t really great, but I--”

 

Regina cut her off with another kiss. “I love it, Emma. Really. This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

 

Emma grinned. “What about the time that cute blonde let you stay in her apartment because your window got broken?”

 

Regina shook her head, smile unwavering on her lips, “You’re ridiculous.”

 

“You like it,” Emma teased. 

 

“Yeah I do. And you thought I didn’t like sweet things,” Regina said, pulling Emma back for another kiss by the collar of her shirt.

* * *

 

 

They shared breakfast in bed, and Emma made sure Regina stayed put while she cleaned up the mess. Admittedly, she could have done a better job, but she was too eager to cuddle back up with the cute girl in her bed. 

 

When she finished, she turned to see Regina sitting up, watching her with a smirk on her face, and Emma ran to the bed, leaping onto it and burrowing herself under the covers and into Regina. The brunette laughed, “Emma, I’ve never seen someone so excited to be in bed before.”

 

“I love this bed, you have no idea.”

 

Regina snorted. “I think I do. Does it have anything to do with the fact that I’m in it?”

 

“Right now it does.”

 

The brunette smiled into another kiss, pulling Emma down to lie next to her. She wrapped a hand over Emma’s waist to bring their bodies flush together. The blonde hummed, “This is nice,” she muttered before resuming the kiss, moaning a little when Regina’s tongue hesitantly traced along her lower lip.

 

Regina pulled back, chuckling as Emma chased her lips for more, “Ginaaa,” she whined.

 

“You know, I always hated that nickname, but it’s different when you say it.”

 

“So it’s good?” Emma asked, eyes bright with excitement.

 

“It’s good,” Regina responded with another kiss. “So what do you want to do today?”

 

Emma chuckled, her eyes on Regina’s lips, a hand running across her waist, fingers dancing along her hipbone. “You know, I’m quite content right here.”

 

“I bet you are,” Regina smirked. “I am as well. But we have to leave  _ sometime _ .”

 

“Says who?” Emma demanded. Regina shrugged. “Okay well, if you can’t come up with a proper answer, then I have no reason to believe it.”

 

“It’s snowing?” Regina tried. “We could go out and see the snow?”

 

“Oh my god! A snowball fight!” Emma exclaimed, ignoring the suspicious look on Regina’s face. “It’s perfect, seriously.”

 

“Yeah, except that the last time you threw a snowball, you broke a window…”

 

“Okay well, putting aside the money and the actual problems of it all, it was for the best,” Emma said.

 

“Can’t argue with that…” Regina said as they kissed again. “Honestly, I was kind of hoping something like this would happen when I saw you sitting outside my door…”

 

“Really?”

 

Regina shrugged. “Come on, let’s get dressed. We should go out before the snow stops.” Emma groaned as she collapsed back onto the bed. “Emma, seriously. You can wear your new sweater.”

 

That got Emma’s attention. 

 

“Will you wear yours?” Emma grinned. Regina shot her a look that said  _ obviously _ before she climbed out of bed, turning to give Emma another look as she pulled her pajama shirt off, leaving the blonde gaping at the sight of her bare back.

 

Emma still hadn’t quite recovered by the time they were leaving the apartment, all bundled up and cozy in their new sweaters, Regina wearing one of Emma’s hats with a cute little fuzzball on top that kept making the blonde smile.

 

“Are you okay? You look… distracted,” Regina laughed as they walked down the hallway. “What are you thinking about?”

 

“Um…”

 

“Oh my god,” Regina laughed again, stopping in place as it hit her. “You’re still thinking about me taking off my shirt aren’t you?”

 

“And how cute you are in your new sweater! I can’t wait to see your nose get all pink again when you’re wearing this hat too,” Emma deflected, knocking the fuzzball on the hat playfully and leaving a kiss on Regina’s nose.

 

The brunette rolled her eyes. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

 

Emma smiled triumphantly as she let Regina lead her down the stairs. Just before they make it to the main entrance, Regina stopped. “You okay, Gina?”

 

“You’re not really going to throw a snowball at me are you?”

 

“Why?” Emma smirked, “You scared?”

 

“I have seen your arms…” Regina commented, her voice dropping.

 

Emma hummed, pulling the brunette to her by tugging on the front of her coat, “Did you like what you saw?” she asked, brushing her nose against Regina’s and playfully nipping on her lower lip.

 

“Maybe...” Regina brushed her lips against Emma’s pulling back just when Emma’s started against hers.

 

“Maybe?” The blonde asked, doing the same teasing motion back to Regina.

 

“Definitely,” Regina answered before finally capturing Emma’s lips with her own, as one hand lost itself in Emma’s blonde curls. It was amazing, Emma thought, how well the two of them moved together, smooth and powerful, and they got so lost in each other that they forgot where they were, oblivious to someone opening the door.

 

“Uh…” the voice of a third party broke them apart, and they turned their heads to see Victor standing there looking at them, a look of serious confusion written on his face. He cleared his throat. “Looks like she doesn’t hate you, Emma.” Neither Emma or Regina knew what to say, so they stood there in shock, hands still on each other while Victor waited for a response.

 

When he didn’t get one, he shrugged. “I’ll leave you to it…” he said as he started to walk away. “Emma, uh, if you could just keep me updated on that window situation…” he muttered before slipping away awkwardly.

 

“Oops,” Regina said, sounding entirely unapologetic. 

 

Emma snorted, “Come on, let’s go outside.” She walked past Regina, holding the door open for her and then running right past her into the snow, flopping down into the small patch that wasn’t over the road or the sidewalk and moving her arms and legs around. “Gina look, I’m making a snow angel!”

 

“You  _ are _ a snow angel,” Regina said, reaching her hand out to help Emma back up.

 

“Aww, you’re just trying to get a kiss in the snow aren’t you?” Emma said, backing away and bending down to scoop up a handful of snow, packing it tight and chuckling to herself. Regina groaned, her face in her hands.

 

“Emma?”

 

The blonde spun around to see none other than Killian Jones approaching her, a lopsided smile on his face, like he wasn’t sure whether he was happy to see her or afraid to approach her.  _ Both _ , Emma thought.

 

“What do you want, Killian?”

 

“Look. About the other day… I’m really sorry. I just thought--”

 

Emma rolled her eyes, “It’s not just  _ the other day _ Killian. It’s every day. When I say  _ I don’t like you _ , I mean it. When I say,  _ no thanks _ , I don’t mean  _ maybe _ , I mean  _ no thanks _ .”

 

“But…” Emma held up the snowball as a threat. “Okay, I get it. You’re not interested. Uh, but do you wanna hang out sometime?”

 

“Dude!” Emma groaned, about to go off again when she heard a throat clear behind her. Regina walked up next to her, holding a hand out to Killian.

 

He took it, looking equal parts confused and happy. “I don’t believe we’ve met. My name’s Regina.”

 

“Killian.”

 

“Killian.” Regina repeated with a hum. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” she smirked.

 

“Oh yeah?” 

 

“Yep. And really I need to thank you…” Killian’s brow creased as Regina slowly let go of his hand. Emma stifled a laugh, sensing what was coming. “Thank you for being a creep and making my girlfriend throw a snowball at your face.” 

 

The look on Killian’s face was priceless as he gaped between them. Regina made a noise of satisfied approval before looking to Emma. “Come on, baby, let’s go.” At the two new terms Regina used in reference to her, Emma was shook, but held it together enough to smirk at Killian and drop the snowball at his feet, taking Regina’s hand and letting her lead her down the street. 

 

When they were out of Killian’s sight, Emma stopped, tugging on Regina’s hand to spin her around. “Girlfriend?” she asked.

 

Regina took a harsh breath in, suddenly conflicted. “If you want… I mean--”

 

“I do.”

 

The smile slowly returned to Regina’s face at Emma’s certainty. “It’s settled then,” she said with a nod

 

Emma took both of Regina’s hands in hers, pulling her close so their faces were just inches apart. “You know, Gina… You’re the best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten.”

 

The brunette snorted. “You’re an idiot,” she laughed as she brought their lips together once more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! please tell me what you thought! 
> 
>  
> 
> p.s. my amazing beta, Laura, has requested _a smutty part four: first time on New Years._ I have some other stuff planned, but I might do it if you guys want it bad enough ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Any feedback is appreciated! Check out the rest of the works in the 12 Days of Swan Queen Christmas collection and feel free to add your own work! :)


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